Warsaw – A Tale of Survival and Rebirth
The Polish capital is one that has seen enough triumph and tragedy to scar a nation, yet today the city is a modern industrious paradise and one of the most potent economic zones in the EU. The dynamic city has seen its center rebuilt from the fantasies of after the horror of the Second World War, a true miracle paving the way for more historic reconstructions (such as Frankfurt) seen throughout the continent today. A visit to Warsaw will give the traveller an insight on true resilience and the spirit of a downtrodden people that defied every prejudice to reclaim its former elegance.
Geography
Born on the Vistula, in the historic province of Mazovia, Warsaw cuts an impressive figure. The Mazovian plain is relatively flat, prone to periodic flooding and permeated by the vocational sense forest.
History
The history of Warsaw involves a lot of tragedy, but is of a curious fascination to me. This is a city who would rise rapidly only to be defaced by two equally violent tyrants hellbent on the destruction of the Polish nation. Warsaw is the tale of its survival.
Medieval Poland
Small settlement have existed in and around Warsaw since the 9th century, but the city as we know it first takes shape in 1300, as a small fishing village called Warszowa. The town grew quickly in importance from there, in 1390 St John’s Cathedral was completed and the small city (4500po.) become the seat for the Dukes of Masovia in 1413. During the 14th century, the city outgrew its walls thus creating an old and new town.
By 1529 the young city was selected as the seat the polish Sejm (parliament), and would hold it permanently after 1569. In 1596, the royal court was moved to the city and it was named the capital of Poland, replacing the traditional capital Krakow. The decision was made due to the fact that it was half way between the former and Vilnius, the second city of the newly formed Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. As the center of imperial power Warsaw grew infinitely in importance.
Despite this rapid success, Warsaw’s fortunes declined considerably during the 17th and early 18th centuries. The city was besieged and pillaged by the Swedish, Brandenburgian (Germans from the state of Brandenburg and troops from Transylvanian. Furthermore the nation was forced to pay a heavy tribute to their enemies during the Great Northern War.
The reign of Augustus II and Augustus III in the 18th century were favourable to the city and it became an early capitalist center. Great works of art and culture were completed in the city during this time including the construction of what was the largest library in Europe and the first in Poland, in 1747. Under Stanisław II Augustus, Warsaw became a hub of the arts and the king commissioned many civic works to enhance the beauty of the city. It was known under the nickname “The Paris of the North”, much like Bucharest was the “Paris of the East”.
Napoleonic Wars and Russian Occupation
In 1795, the city was annexed by the Germanic state of Prussia, along with large swaths of northern and southern Poland, while Russia took the east. In 1806 Napoleon took the city and made it part of a Duchy of Warsaw, essentially a client state of France. After the Congress of Vienna, the city was made part of a Polish puppet state, controlled by Russia. A University was constructed in 1818 and riots broke out against Russia, culminating with a violent put down. Subsequent rebellions saw the same fate.
The late 19th century under Russian rule was surprisingly good for the city and major public works were completed such as a streetcar system as well as sanitation works. During this time the city was fast becoming a major manufacturing center. By the end of the century it was the third largest city in the Russian Empire. During the First World War it was occupied by Germany from 1915-1918, allowing for a new state to emerge from the Chaos of the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the German Empire.
First Polish Republic
The First World War return Poland to its long sought independent status. This would be Poland’s first shot at true independence in hundreds of years and it would all play out in Warsaw. My boy, Józef Piłsudski, the underground leader of Polska emerged from German imprisonment and returned to Warsaw to see the young nation through its first great challenge, war with Russia. Massing innumerable troops near the Polish border, “Red” Communist Russia was gearing up for an invasion of Poland, but it would be Pisulski who would strike first, a fateful decision that would buy the nation time. Russia undeterred fought back with ferocity crushing both Ukraine and much of the Polish army, who scrambled west from their eastern positions. During the Battle of Warsaw, Pisulski rallied his troops behind the Vistula for a counterattack that would shatter the Russian advance. Cowering in Southern Poland was a young Russian General called Josef Stalin, late to help out he avoided the punishment that his army mates faced on their return to Moscow, his political astuteness already shining. Stalin would not forget this defeat and he would make Poland pay for it when the USSR occupied the proud nation after WW2. It is said that the heroic victory at Warsaw saved Europe from being overrun by communism.
A premier city of Europe during the Interbellum (inter-war period), Warsaw boasted a higher popular density than London, the city stretching out into the suburbs and a series of railways clustering around the city.
A World At War, Soviets and The Modern Era
During the Second Word War, Poland was spit in half by Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany in a treasonous alliance. Warsaw came under the rule of the Nazi and all educational institutions were shuttered. Jews, thirty percent of the city’s population, were immediately rounded up and put into the Warsaw Ghetto. This ghetto grew to be even more overcrowded as Jews from other polish cities were added to the ghetto. 1942 these prisoners began their extermination at Treblinka, a famous concentration camp leading to the famous Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943 where the remaining Jews rebelled and held out for a month with only makeshift weapons. Few survived.
In 1944 with the Red Army approaching the Polish Government-in-Exile based in London gave the Polish Home Army (AK) the order to revolt and secure the city for themselves knowing full well that the Soviets would never allow a free Poland. The revolt was supposed to last 48 hours, 63 days of resistance later the Home Army capitulated. The Soviets just outside the city had long waited for the Germans to massacre over 200 000 Poles in order to soften resistance to their rule, a stunning and cynical betrayal. Ignoring the capitulation, Hitler then ordered his general to raze the city, blowing up monuments and emptying museums of their treasures to be sent back to Berlin. Between allies and axis bombing as well as German and Soviet ground warfare, the city was over 85% destroyed.
After the Second World War, the old town of Warsaw was meticulously reconstructed brick by brick from an 18th century painting. What had once been similarly stunning 18th, 19th and early 20th century boulevards in the inner suburbs were demolished despite the fact that many were still salvageable. They were replaced with Plattenbau apartment blocks, bland concrete monstrosities that can still be found today. Quaint cobblestone streets were paved over as wide asphalt surface boulevards and Plac Defilad parade grounds, the largest in Europe were constructed over city blocks.
During the late 1970’s and early 80’s the seeds of democracy was sown in Poland. It was an exiting time, the famous trade union Solidarity from Gdansk would form and spread its anti-communist message to Warsaw and a “superstar” figure, Karol Józef Wojtyła born near the city of Krakow, would emerge. Although his name may be unfamiliar to the casual reader of Polish history, his papal name, John Paul II, is word renowned. His visits to his native country in 1979 and 1983 brought support to the budding “Solidarity” movement and helped propel the deeply catholic nation again its communist masters. His 1979 visit to Victory Square in Warsaw called for Vasovians to “renew the face” of Poland and any visitor to modern democratic Polska will concluded that the nation has come a long way! Since independence Warsaw has completed two metro lines and innumerable skyscraper projects.
Exploring Warsaw
Arriving in Warsaw from by bus from Vilniaus, Lithuania, I was greeted by the modern face of the city. The tall business like cluster of towers around Warsaw’s interlaced by freeways and large boulevards. Emerging from the transportation hub at its center is a little alienating. Buildings all seem to have that drab commie block feel and the international style glass towers don’t seem to soften the city. I literally felt that could literally be anywhere in the world, a almost Toronto level of drabness, with a high level of sprawl, wide boulevards and a lack of intimacy. Luckily Warsaw is more than it appears upon first glance and by the time of my second visit to the capital, I could not help but fall in love! Behind the facade of modernism is the spectre of history looking to jump out at you at every corner, Warsaw has not forgotten when it has come from.
The Business Center (West Warsaw)
Transportation Hub, Varso and The Palace of Culture
Emerging from Warsaw’s massive central station transit hub, I was immediately transported the the bustling heart of modern Warsaw. Standing out, even among the more modern skyscrapers is the Palace of Culture and Science, once of the few Soviet era structure that has withstood the shifting sands of architectural taste. The gargantuan mass that stands before you looks a little less lonely than it did before the fall of the Berlin Wall. Once an island in a sea of rubble, the 1955 building has been joined by modern skyscrapers in recent years. The construction of this building necessitated the demolition of 9 city blocks and nothing remains of the area’s pre-war appearance. Stalin’s “Gift” to Warsaw (they could have done without “Uncle” Joe”, contains cinemas, theaters, libraries, sports clubs and offices such as university faculties and authorities of the Polish Academy of Sciences. It was designed in the Soviet “Seven Sisters” style and borrowed heavily form contemporary Polish and American Art Deco Style. At the time of its construction it was one of the tallest structures in Europe and once sported the tallest clock in the world. Although the future of the tower is safe debate rages on what to do with the land around it. Should it be turned into an urban park or make way for now modern skyscrapers.
Underground (and at ground level) the complex turns into Warsaw’s main transportation hub. Under the Centrum roundabout you will find connections to Warsaw’s metro and to the west side of the building, its Mains Railways station and the Bus Service at ground level. A block west you will find Vaso, a skyscraper with an well located observation deck!
Just south of the complex you will find the Warsaw Fotoplastikon, Europe’s oldest stereoscopic theatre with 3D photos from around the world.
Nożyk Synagogue, Plac Grzybowski, St. Andrew the Apostle Church and the Warsaw Ghetto Wall Memorial
While walking to the Warsaw Uprising Museum, make sure to take a few blocks detour north to the church of St. Andrews. On your way stop off at the Nożyk Synagogue. Located the nearby Plac Grzybowski (a wondeful public space that will be mentioned later in the Assorted Nightlife Section), the synagogue is tucked out of sight in a mess of roads and buildings behind the square. The Soviet era reconstruction of the district mas made the original location of the building less prominent that it once was. It is important to note that although accepted in the Polish Lithuanian commonwealth, Jews mostly lived in the adjacent suburbs to the old town. The 1902 building is still operational and houses a Jewish community, it is one of the last remaining Jewish places of worship in a city that once housed over four-hundred. After the Jewish community was liquidated the Germans used it as a stable and depot allowing it to survive making it a must see!. Unfortunately the more impressive Great Synagogue of Warsaw no longer exists but this building will give you a slice of Mazovian Jewish culture.
Continuing on to the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Andrew the Apostle, a neo-renaissance structure, you will find a section of the original Warsaw ghetto wall. The 1849 church is one of the few survivors of WW2, as such it cuts an impressive figure amongst the mess of modern structures.
This area bordering the church, ul. Chłodna, is considered to be one of the borders of the ghetto. As you walk along this street, paving stones on the side walk will inform you of this fact. Just west of the church you will find a memorial called the Footbridge Of Memory. This modern piece of art is meant to symbolize that wooden footbridge that crossed over the street. This footbridge was required to connect both the small and the large ghetto after they were entombed by the German walls. The Germans on the other hand were happy not to have to stop traffic to let the Jews through, a complete racial separation. A ghetto wall section can be found east of the church. With a plaque explaining the layout and history of the area. The ghetto was setup in November of 1940 to contain 360 000 Jews and 90 000 other undesirables. The area was cramped with Jews from surrounding towns and cities sent here. The ghetto reduced in size in 1942 as the deportations to the concentration camps sped up. With over 300 000 Jews sent to Treblenka by 1943, an uprising was staged. It was crushed by the Germans, with much more difficulty than they anticipated, they were not going down without a fight. The Ghetto was completely burned during this time and very few survived the camps.
You will find additional wall sections throughout this area. Just north of the palace of culture you will find a section of masonry wall at Złota. It is sandwiched between apartment blocks Warsaw Uprising Memorial Plaque. Additionally the Memorial to the evacuation of Warsaw ghetto fighters may be of interest. It is artwork displaying a manhole leading down to the Warsaw sewers, one of the few routes of escape. Although little remains of the original ghetto buildings, a few ruined remnants have been left to give you an idea of what was once here. The Ghetto Building at Próżna 14 is a great example of this.
The Warsaw Uprising Museum and Muzeum Nurkowania
Located west of the Palace of culture, amid the towering skyscrapers, you will find two wonderful institutions right next to each other; the first Muzeum Nurkowania is a museum on diving displaying over 800 historical objects, one of the few in Europe and the second is the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Although the diving museum is neat, the must see attraction is the Uprising Museum. If you only see one museum in Warsaw… make it this one!
Locally called the Warsaw Rising Museum it was constructed in 2004. It is widely regarded as the best museum in the country and I would second that motion. The uprising is widely considered to be one of the shaping events of the Polish national conscience and its memory would help keep the dream of Polish sovereignty alive. The location is that of the old trolley power station in Warsaw’s Wola district
When you first enter the complex you will at first need to purchase a ticket. Since I was to be going to the train station later that afternoon, I had my 60liter backpack on me. Luckily this museum has you covered. There are lockers at the entrance, something I wish more places would do!
Tickets are purchased at the counter in the small blockhouse at the back end of the courtyard. From there you can enter the main doors into the building.
The institution attempts to take the visitor thought the history of the uprising from its beginnings under German Occupation to its tragic end at the ends of the Soviets. The displays must then be followed in order as to take in the story in chronological order. The museum also explores the various personalities and individual acts of bravery that make this event truly special. I had first heard of the Uprising through the Churchill historical account of the war, Triumph and Tragedy: The Second World War. His account of the doomed event, witnessed by radio transmitting with the Polish Government in Exile (London), marked me. His accounts of the bravery of the Vasovians and their desire for freedom made me an admirer of the Poles.
Starting with the time of the German occupation, you will first walk though an area with a recreated block house. With the Russians coming the Polish government in Exile give the order for the Polish Home Army to Revolt. Displays then show off polish homemade armaments including Russians made submachine guns, single action rifles, British provided Sten smg’s. By and large though most arms had to be mad e covertly and so and the polish home army created thousands of Błyskawica smg’s, no easy task to mass processes them while under the wwatchful eye of the Germans. Other interesting exhibits include a replica of a B-24 Liberator, a wall with the names of thousands of fallen, a replica sewer tunnel, sounds & maps of the battles, the Władysław Szpilman room (the Polish pianist portrayed in the Roman Polanski movie the Pianist) and video showing the destruction at the conclusion of the uprising in 1945. Furthermore two rooms exits detailing Russian and German crimes.
Outside of the museum you will find Freedom Park, an open air display of many items and photographs depicting the revolt, including a Kubuś, an improvised vehicle used by the Home Army and a blown up statue of Jozef Poniatowski, an important Vasovian that was part of Kościuszko Uprising.
The Saxon Garden and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Just north if the Palace of Culture you will find one of the most important public spaces in suburban Warsaw, the Saxon Garden. The baroque park is styled with magnificent trees and statues leading to the centerpiece, a massive fountain.
At the east end of the park you will find a more sombre space, a paving stone clad place of national gathering and reflection called Piłsudski Square. The public space has changed many times over the last one-hundred years, it is currently centered around the tomb of the unknown soldier but featured a magnificent Russian onion dome church that was demolished under the Polish Republic as it was view as a symbol of Russian Imperialism. The statue looks on to the east at a Statue of its namesake Józef Piłsudski, the hero of the “Miracle” on the Vistula in 1920, when Russia was decisively defeated. This soldier would become the leader of the young nation and the only man Hitler feared. He is revered in Poland among the likes of nation builders such as Tadeusz Kościuszko.
Hala Mirowska
This public market was the largest in Warsaw before the Uprising. Built out of masonry in 1902, it consist of two narrow halls. The building was ravaged during the Second World War and briefly served as a bus depot before its restoration. Much of the masonry still bears scars of its past including bullet holes.
Warsaw Gasworks Museum
Pushing the city’s western border, you will find a perfect survivor of the city’s violent past a collection of 19th and 20th century gaswork buildings, like many industrial revitalization projects it has been rejuvenated. The collection of neoclassical masonry buildings includes still ruinous massive gas tanks. At its center stands a museum dedicated to the history of gas distribution in the city.
Muranów
The original Muranow was almost leveled during the war. The soviet era reconstructions have drained the charm from the neighborhood but what little remains is still worth seeing.
Monument to the Heroes of Warsaw
Located at the south-eastern edge of the district, this monument is also known as the Warsaw Nike. Completed in 1964 the statue depicts a woman with a sward above her head. It is a memorial for all those who died defending the city from 1939-1945.
Krasinski Palace and Przebendowski Palace
These two baroque beauties share a lot in common. Both were built in baroque style for the Polish nobility and both had to be substantially rebuilt after the Warsaw Uprising. The more diminutive Przebendowski Palace was forcibly converted to a shrine to Vladimir Lenin before its current stint as the Museum of Polish Independence .
The 17th century Krasiński Palace is a much more impressive building. It was constructed for the Voivode of Płock, Jan Dobrogost Krasiński, a nobleman with an interest in french architecture and a large monetary endowment that he inherited from his deceased father. Wanting to further his political ambition he decided to build a residence of considerable stature in the capital. The building was host to valuable works of sculpture and art but unfortunately much of it was lost during the war. The outer shell of the building may have been left intact but the Germans set fire to the interior during the uprising. Today it houses the Polish National Library’s Special Collections Section but only 5% of the former collection remains due to deliberate destruction by German soldiers.
National Archaeological Museum
This neoclassical styled museum established in 1928 hosts objects recovered from archeological digs throughout Poland.
POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews
As the name would suggest this modern institution deals with the now defunct polish Jewery. Little is left of this important group that once dominated the landscape in the tolerant Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth. Cities like Wilno (Vilnius), Warsaw and Lublin, among others had centuries of history virtually wiped out. What little was left of the Jewish population had moved to Israel or if remains was virtually non existent compared to pre-war times. This institution attempts to bring this lost culture back to life. Many east European Jews are of Ashkenazi decent and the Yiddish language was widely circulated in the commonwealth.
Powązki Cemetery and the Jewish Cemetery on Okopowa Street
Part of the old Wola district in Western Warsaw, I have lumped in this attraction with the Polin museum due to the fact that the Jewish Cemetery of Warsaw is attached to the green space, on its southern side. Powazski is known for its role as a National Cemetery of sorts with many important poles buried here including the previously mentioned Jan Kiliński and several members of Chopin’s family. To surmise things I am keeping the full list for your information as a link here. The cemetery was established in 1790 and the most important burials can be found on the “Avenue of the Distinguished”, begun in 1925. This is a massive cemetery and over 1 million people have been buried here.
The Jewish cemetery is home to over 200 000 bodies and is one of the largest in Europe. It was established in 1806 and is still active. The necropolis home to many victims of the Warsaw Uprising and the Ghettoes. After the war the land was left to rot and quickly became overgrown by trees and other wooded species giving the place a nice canopy. You will find an interesting assortment of mausoleums here, ranging from Egyptian revival to Art Deco.
Reduta Bank of Poland (Ruined Bank)
If you are looking for traces of the old Warsaw, you will be hard pressed to find a better example than this ruined structure at ul. Bielańska 10. Used as a base for Home Front fighters during the Warsaw Uprising, it was heavily bombed by the Germans. It is one of the few original pre-war buildings still standing in its original conditions. Its exterior condition has been left to show the damage sustained during those dark days. It was originally slated to hold the Uprising Museum.
Warsaw Uprising Monument
This modern monument is the most important in all of Warsaw. Completed in 1989, it commemorates the valiant efforts of the Polish Home army who attempted to free the city from German rule. Russia let those brave men die while the Germans razed the city as to crush any dream of an independent Poland. Home army officers were persecuted by Russia after the war and the story of liberation was told from Russia’s point of view. Although built in socialist realist style this monument attempts to do just that with valiant soldiers emerging from the rubble of Warsaw to fight. A second part of the monument shows a soldier heading down into the Warsaw sewer system. The sanitation system designed by William Lindley a contemporary of Joseph Bazalgette the chief engineer of London’s Victorian sewer proved to be a masterstroke of urban planning (Warsaw was ahead of much of Europe at that time!) and would be used extensively during the Battle of Warsaw to shuffle around Polish Home front members.
The monument is located just outside the Supreme Court of Poland.
The Old Town
On a hot (40 degree Celsius!) day walking around in central Warsaw, I gave in and bought an ice cream. Sitting down to eat, I pulled out my phone to check if there was a public WIFI. Of course I was hit with that charming polish sense of humour, one of the first things I noticed was a connection to a certain nearby “KGB surveillance van”, it gave me a chuckle. As mentioned above the old town was entirely recreated after the bombing of Warsaw during the Second World War. Somehow, despite this fact, the old town has retained a certain level of charm, authentic and non “Disney” like. I wish I could say the same for other heritage reconstruction projects. As you will notice, the old town is smaller than its contemporaries such as Krakow since the capital developed later in the medieval ages, yet this small space is filled with things to see.
Just Outside the City Walls
The New Town
This area of old Warsaw, just north outside the city walls is extremely attractive. Well kept cobblestone streets pretty and handsome buildings greet visitors. If you continue to its northern limit past where the attractive buildings give way to modern monstrosities, you will find the 19th century masonry clad Fort Legionów. Originally named Wladimir, it was surrounded by a moat it was one of six rounded towers that make up the Warsaw citadel! This is one of the few buildings in this part of the city to escape unscathed.
If you continue north past the freeway you will come across the earthen walls of an old star shaped bastion. This former redoubt has been turned into a museum detailing items from the tragic Katyn massacre, an event that will be discussed later in this post.
Coming back towards the river you will find a massive green space called Multimedia Fountain Park. Located below the old town it features a fountain. This is a great place to admire the mighty Vistula, the namesake of the Miracle on the Vistula (1920).
Although the district is pretty you must absolutely visit city St. Hyacinth’s Church on Freta Street, a stunning pedestrian way with patios. I walked into the baroque beauty unsuspectingly and after reading the story of the building I was almost moved to tears. Burned by the Swedes in 1655 it was reconstructed in 1661. A major addition was made in the 18th century when the library was the richest in Poland. Tragedy struck during the Second World War when it was used as a field hospital for Polish civilians and soldiers. The Germans targeted the building and eventually butchered whomever was inside. The rich library was destroyed during the war. A similar thing happened at nearby St. Kazimierz Church, the beautiful domed building that had once been a palace. The structure, once the burial site of nobles, served as hospital and was completely destroyed by a direct hit killing all who where inside. If you do visit the late stop at he small market square it is a very attractive public space.
Lastly you could go take a look at the Marie Curie Museum, dedicated to the two-time Nobel laureate, she was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize (she won it for both physics and chemistry!). Born is Warsaw, she eventually moved to Paris. The museum is dedicated to the discovery of polonium and radium.
Barbican and Walls
Walking though the old town gate from the New Town, you will cross over the wall, moat and past the 16th century barbarian, a large fortified gatehouse. This Barbican is the most impressive part of the city walls.
Soon after entering the Barbican you will come across the Old Town Market Square where you will find the Museum of Warsaw detailing the history of the city from the 14th century to modern times. It is built into 11 towhomes. At the mid-point of the square stands a statue of the mermaid of Warsaw, the symbol of the city. The square is known for its unique and well decorated rowhomes and the spire of the cathedral can be seen rising above them.
Next up is the Royal Cathedral of Warsaw (St John’s Archcathedral), one o f three cathedrals in the city. It is clear to me that this imposing structure was completed in parts over time due to its distinctly different components. Dating from the 14th century, it consists of the main hall, an 80 meter long naive and a pink painted Jesuit church on the side. The distinctive Gothic roof-line sets it apart from the later baroque church architecture seen elsewhere. Many Mazovian dukes have been interned inside and it served as the site of the crowning of the polish kings, confirmed by the Sejm. It should be no surprised that the building is connected to royal palace via an elevated walkway.
On the north side of the old town, you will find the richly decorated baroque church of St. Martin’s, the opposite of the Gothic Archcathedral. The yellow painted building was established in Gothic stile in the 14th century before being remodelled after a 17th century fire (and again in the 18th). Buried here is Adam Jarzębski, a baroque era artist and composer. The church was destroyed during the second world war and as such the interior will seem a little band and antiseptic, with less attention to detail applied during rebuilding than its exterior. This is typical of post war rebuilds. Roccoco interiors and artwork were seen as too expensive to recreate as such there were viewed as vanity projects.
South of the cathedral you will find the Dung Hill lookout point with great views of the Vistula. If you take the stairway down and along the east face of the royal palace you will find Arkady Kubickiego, a wonderful garden looking out at the royal palace. The rear of the palace that you can see from the gardens in in baroque style and is totally different than the western facing side.
Back near the cathedral you will find Canon Square (Kanonia). The tiny public space is home to colorful building, one of which is the narrowest townhouse in Europe. Displayed at its center you will find a bell with a crack in it.
Finally, just a block south you will find the last major public space in the old town, Castle Square, centered around Sigismund’s Column. This is the most iconic public space in the city with panoramic view of the old town on offer. Atop the Corinthian column, constructed in 1644, is a statue of king Sigismund III Vasa. Although the column was desroyed during the way, the statue survived and adorns the replacement. Fragments of the original have been displayed in front of the Royal Castle. The Pink/Orangy building. It was originally designed as a fortifications for mazovian dukes but went though a major baroque redesign as Warsaw gained in importance. Like much of warsaw it was destroyed after the 1944 uprising and needed to be reconstructed. Near the castle moat you will find statues and monuments, the first of which is a boulder dedicated to the Katyń massacre where over 22000 military officers and prominent Poles were taken to a forested area in Russia and shot by the Soviets during their first occupation. Further down you will find the Pomnik Jana Kilińskiego. This statue honors Kilinski, a shoemaker that became the Warsaw commander of Kościuszko Uprising in 1794.
The Royal Way (Pt. 1)
Leading from Sigismund’s Column, all the way to Łazienki Park, the royal way offers those willing to walk its length a view of the true grandeur of Warsaw, a city that fast outgrew its minuscule old town. Along its length you will find many fine buildings including palaces, hotels, churches, stately buildings, nightlife spots and famous eateries.
Castle Square is built over an underground highway section crossing the river and is a crucial connection between the old city and the royal way itself.
From the column you will head south on Krakowskie Przedmieście, a wide boulevard closed to cars in the summer.
The first monuments of note are a collection of palaces Palace at the very north of the Royal Way. Branicki, Chodkiewiczów, Pac, Biskupów Krakowskich, Pałac Młodziejowskich and Pałac Szaniawskich. It was particularly interesting to see Branicki under reconstruction, old Warsaw comming back alive before my eyes. The proliferation of palaces in Warsaw reminds me of a mini Vienna, especially some of the ones explored later in this post!
The Second monument of not is the elegant neoclasically styled St. Anne’s church. The inside is filled with bright wall painting and is worth a look.
Just south east of the old town, and only a few blocks from castle square, you will find Theater Square, centered around the finest building in Warsaw – The Grand Theater. The 19th century building is located in the grandiose theater square, where its neoclassical colonnade stands waiting to greet visitors to the site. It was reconstructed after WW2 and at the time was the largest theater in Europe. This building is also home to Warsaw’s Opera and Ballet.
Continuing south you will find the 18th century Baroque Carmelite Church (Kościół Karmelitów Bosych), followed by the Polish Presidential Palace and finally the luxury Hotel Bristol built into the same block. The later building replace an earlier palace and hosted such luminaries as Elisabeth II, H.W Bush, José Carreras (opera), Ray Charles, Woody Allen, Eugeniusz Bodo (polish actor), Jacques Chirac, Marie Curie, Marlene Dietrich, Sophia Lauren, Mick Jagger, Józef Piłsudski, Artur Rubinstein (jewsih, Polish-American pianist), Richard Strauss, Margaret Thatcher, Pablo Picasso, Pablo Picasso, Helmut Kohl, Jackie Kenedy and Marlene Dietrich amongst many others!
Just west of the Hotel Bristol you will find the above mentioned Joseph Pisulski Square/Saxon Gardens.
Next in line is the Pałac Czetwertyńskich-Uruskich, a complex of fine building now transformed into a complex for the University of Warsaw, an institution dating from 1816. Other palace buildings such as Kazimierz serve as faculty buildings.
Other important buildings include the Roman Catholic Church of the Visitants and the Holy Cross Church. The later holds the hearts of many famous poles in including the legendary pianist Chopin. If interested in the history of the composer, head north to the Chopin Museum, a recreated 17th century mansion dedicated to the composer.
Starting from Zamoyski Palace to the famed Three Crosses Square, the street becomes smaller in charecter and filled with residential blocks. This area is kown for its nightlife and fine restaurants and will be covered in the “Royal Way Pt. 2” section.
Three crosses square is home to St. Alexander’s Church, a round partnenon like temple named after the Russian Tsar Alexander I. If you take a look at pictures of the church before its destruction and then reconstruction in 1951, you can see that the new church is much simpler than its 20t century incarnation. It was decided to build something more akin to its form in the previous century. Eventually, following the Royal Way, you will arrive at your destination.
South Warsaw
Łazienki / Ujazdówski Park
From Łazienki Park you should take the time to explore this whole end of the city, it is filled with goodies, although it may be best to take an uber or the metro/commuter rail around. The park itself is massive and includes a multitude of things to do. In the north half of the greenspae you will find Ujazdów Castle and the Royal Canal. Originally built as a castle for the Dukes of Mazovia in the 13th century it was reconstructed several times as it changes uses. For a time it served as a royal residence, a cnal buill to to vistula to conect it to the river. It later years it was used as a hospital and even as a barrack for russian soldiers. The building sits on a hill overlooking hte park and is stunning when viewed from the canal. Today it serves as Warsaw’s Center for Contemporary Art. Nearby, to the south you will find the Warsaw University Astronomical Observatory and a Statue of Chopin where concerts are given in the summer. Other building of not include the 17th century Belweder Palace, once home to the Grand Chancelor of Lithuania, the Myślewicki Palace built for Stanisław August Poniatowski, Little White House a building that once house the exiled king Louis XVIII during the French Revolution, the Old Orangery converted to a theater and the neoclassical New Orangery greenhouse built for Alexander II of Russia. The story of the orangery is an interesting one, the Tsar purchased a masssive collection of tropical plants including 124 long-lived orange trees and could not transport it to Saint Petersburg, due to climate conditions. As such they were stored inside the building. Unfortunately, during the World War I, they were left without appropriate care and froze… fortunatly today it once gain houses a tropical garden. Myślewicki for its part was the site of the 1958 meeteing between the USA and the peoples republic of China, the first between both nations. The palace served as a guesthouse for foreign dignataries during the age of the Republic of Poland.
The main reason to visit the park is to visit Łazienki Palace better known as “Palace on the Isle” this magnificent baroque building on the water houses Stanisław II Augustus art collection. The finely decorated interor is well worth the vist and to walk arond the island is to be greeted by hundrends of different views, each better than the last.
This area remind me of the Schlosspark Schönbrunn in Vienna.
Wilanów
The Versailles of Poland, the Museum of King Jan III’s Palace at Wilanów is an architectural marvel. it is also a survivor of two World Wars and Partition despite being a symbol of the Polish Royal familly and nation. Built during the 17th century in baroque style it is a symbol of the old Royak Poland free of foreign influnce. THe museum was established in 1805 to display the royal art of John III Sobieski and Augustus II. Next time I return to warsaw I will expand on this Palace and add some pictures.
Hala Koszyki and the Warsaw Polytechnic
The polytechnique is one of the leading technology institutes in Polanda and one of the largest in CEntral europe. Make sure to go see the main building. The interior of the Main Auditorium is absolutly stunning!
Across the street from the Warsaw Polytechnique in south central Warsaw you will find Hala Koszyki, a 20th century market in Art-Nouveau style converted into a shoping center.
Praga
Located on the east side of the Vistula river, Praga has largely survived the destruction incurred on the city during the Second World War. The bohemian district is now a trendy nightspot with galleries and museums in abundance. A visit to Praga will offer visitors a glimpse at pre-war suburban Warsaw in all its glory. If not catching a soccer match at the stadium I recommend a visit to the following sites; the neon museum, the vodka factory, the cathedral and Kościuszko Infantry Division Memorial. I recommend taking public transit into this part of the city.
The Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian the Martyr
Although previous churches have existed in Praga since the 16th century, the Cathedral of St. Michael the Archangel and St. Florian the Martyr would not be completed until 1904. The building is known for its twin 75 meter towers, meant to compete against the Russian orthodox churches commissioned in Warsaw that were beginning to crowd out the catholic churches. The church, like many others in Praga, it haboured fleeing jews looking for a safe heaven and was destroyed by Germans during the uprising. It can be found shortly after crossing the Vistula bridge, a few blocks into the neighborhood.
The Neon Museum
Built into the old Soho factory, this is one of the few neon sign museums in the world and surly an underrated attraction. This charming retro vibe of a museum contains over 100 signs from the 60’s and 70’s!
Warsaw Vodka Factory “Koneser”
This massive 19th ans 20th century complex has a surface area of 50,000 m2 was constructed in gothic style. It contains millions of masonry red bricks and like the gasworks is a terrific example of industrial architecture. At one point the spirit distillery quarter of a million bottles of vodka but it was shut down during the dark days of the Second World War. The campus of buildings has in recent years been readopted into the Praga Koneser Center , a collection of offices, startups, residential lofts and entertainment options.
Kościuszko Infantry Division Memorial
Near the waterfront/Port of Praga you will find the strange Kościuszko Infantry Division Memorial. This massive statue of a soldier commemorates the polish soldiers of the Kosciuszko division that attempted to relieve the Polish Home Army in Warsaw.
Down by the River, Charles De Gaulle Roundabout, A Return to the Palace of Culture and Associated Nightlife (Powisle, Jerusalem Avenue and the Royal Road)
Copernicus Science Center and the Riverfront
Warsaw is a city that truly comes alive at night. I recommend staying away from the tourist joints and exploring the real Warsaw, like a local. Getting to see a city pulsing with the life blood of thousands of youth is a thoroughly rewarding experience. Like Paris, locals crowd the Vistula riverfront in the crimson hour, like Parisians do so for the seine. Despite a now overturned government ban, the people gather in large masses just to hang out and the atmosphere is palatable.
You will typically see many of the locals bringing their own drinks and snacks and having drinks in public, something that would be frowned on in North America.
As the night gets darker the lights on the historic Średnicowy Railway Bridge come on illuminating the sky. They look surprisingly pleasant in conjunction with those of the football (soccer) stadium on the opposite side of the river.
If you are looking for a place to sit down that isent’ the hard concrete of the riverbank, there are a variety of popup bars that can be found along the water (on the north side of the bridge!). After a while the bars will taper off and you will the Copernicus Science Centre, a contemporary museum named after the famed Polish-Prussian astronomer from Torun (Thorn) north of the Vistula
Powisle and the Retro Canteen
For those longing for some retro Soviet era, “neon chic” charm, you need to hit the Warszawa Powisle. Located in an old ticketing office for the Warszawa Powisle located under an elevated section of railway leading to the Średnicowy Railway Bridge. Only a few blocks from the river it is a popular stop-off with locals living in the upcoming Powisle district. You should stop for a drink or food at this canteen on your way to the river!
Charles de Gaulle Roundabout and the Maze (Pawilony)
Up a few blocks north of the canteen, you will find the Palm at Charles de Gaulle roundabout, a popular public space with outdoor lawn chairs and friendly crowds of people. Oddly enough a, clearly not native to Central Europe, palm stands in the center of the roundabout. It is actually a piece of art called Greetings from Jerusalem, a reference to Jerusalem avenue that runs east/west towards the river from the roundabout. The square is surrounded by many famous buildings from the Polish Republic years (antebellum) and the Communist Era. The most remarkable of these is the the Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK), it completed construction in 1931 and is once again the home of the National Bank of Poland, at Aleje Jerozolimskie 7. The grey building is now considered a National Monument for its importance in developing the new country after the first World War. It projects include the shipping port at Gdynia!
On the south side of the square you have a square building with an interior courtyard. At the front you will find a Statue of Charles de Gaulle and a plaque to Florian Marciniak, Poland’s scoutmaster general who was sent to his death at a concentration camp. The building was the Central Committee of the Polish United Workers, the home of the Communist Party of Poland (Nowy Świat 6). In an act of spite it was turned into Poland’s First Stock Exchange after independence and it now hosts pop up bars and a luxury car display, a nice “fuck you!” to Communism. The area in front of the building is filled with reclining lawn chairs and it is a great public space in the summer. I do admit that it is kind of strange to be having a beer under a headquarters building that the old KGB would have been surveilling full time, almost as if the masses of people enjoying out themselves are defying the old order. I do have to say! Poles have a good sense of humor. One of the beers I tried was the Calamipa Milkshake IPA, a fantastic craft creation.
An interesting fact about hte building is that granite facade is reclicled material from the Tannenberg Memorial (formerly in Prussian Hohenstein, now modern day Olsztynek). The Memorial (and Hindenburg Mausoleum) was built in 1927 to honor German soldiers at the second Battle of Tannenberg against Imperial Russia. Following his death in 1934, President of the German Reich, Paul Von Hindenburg was buried here but his body moved during the 1945 Soviet advance. As you can gather from the new emplacement of the Granite, the memorial does not exist anymore but you can find pictures of it here.
On north of the square you will find a maze of strangely decorated back alleys called Pawilony (The Pavilions). They are located behind the gates at number 22. Klaps (ul. Nowy Świat 22/28, Pavilion 12A). For those looking for a good time, this is a can’t-miss experience. Some of the bar décor include a wall of plastic boobs and beer taps crowned with vibrators!
Nowy Świat and the Royal Road Pt.2
Running east west from the roundabout is Nowy Świat, one of Warsaw’s main arteries home to elegant cafe’s, bars, restaurants and shops. This second part of the series concerns itself with the part of the Royal Way nearest to Charles de Gaulle roundabout.
Make sure to check out the former home of Joseph Conrad at number 45, it painted bright pink it is difficult to miss. Conrad wrote my favorite novella, Heart of Darkness and as I found out he is actually Polish, living in England but would often return to Poland. Conrad, like apparently all polish people, stayed at the the mountain resort of Zakopane (Konstantynówka), which make me laugh because every polish person I have ever met has told me that “Oh you must absolutely visit Zakopane”, this sentence is one of my Polish delights and it never ceases to amuse me. Between bouts of drinking beer stop by, the renowned Café Blikle operated since 1869 for a snack. The shop is known for serving Charles de Gaulle some of his favorite sweet deligths.
Wander around the bar scene here and make sure to try the local spirits. Poland is known for its Vodka’s. I tried a homemade polish lemon Vodka that is the smoothest and best tasting that I have ever tried.
Jerusalem Avenue and a return to the Palace of Culture
As motioned earlier, Nowa Jerozolima (New Jerusalem) street runs north/south through Charles de Gaulle roundabout. The street is named Jerusalem in honor of the Jewish village outside the old town that this road once lead too. This street used to be filled with some of the best interbellum pieced of architecture in the city, including some fine Art Nouveau structures. What remained on the street after the war was mostly demolished by Stalin and replaced by a modernist vision for the street. South of the Charles de Gaulle runabout you will find the National Museum of Poland and the Army Museum, both housed in a drab modernist complex. What a shame! Look up pictures of this street in the 1930’s for a comparison with today!
For those looking for pre-war architecture only the stunning Hotel Polonia Palace and the colorful blocks at 61 & 63 Jerusalem Avenue remain.
The Stalinist blocks have been transformed in recent years into trendy outdoor patio’s and clubs .
When you make it west to the Palace of Culture, you will find it beautifully lit up at night.
Plac Grzybowski
A must visit place at night is the Plac Grzybowski, a stunning public place uplight at night with the 19th century all Saints church in the foreground with modern and communist skyscrapers in the back. A true look at three periods of Warsaw’s history.
A Note on Praha
If you are looking for some more bohemian nightlife hipster bars in Praha
Conclusion
As mentioned above, I would not fall for the city until my second visit. Warsaw is a survivor, a city built upon the tough character of its citizens and it seems like the new millennia has invigorated the city making it one of the most dynamic cities on the continent. While visiting try tapping into that excitement and let the good times roll!
